Setback for Chris Carpenter

5:36 a.m. EST, June 26, 2012|Derrick Goold, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

MIAMI — Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter's inability to face to hitters as planned Monday has delayed his rehab schedule and renewed concern about how he is unable to maintain strength in his right shoulder.

"I think we know why. It's because of the nerve stuff," Carpenter said, referring to a nerve irritation in his shoulder that has bothered him since spring training and is similar to the one that ended his season four years ago. "We need to find out why it's doing it. That's what we don't know. ... It's just not strong enough to throw."

Carpenter faced hitters in a 34-pitch session Friday in Kansas City, but by the time he woke up Sunday his shoulder had not recovered as hoped. He tried to play catch Sunday and the weakness in his shoulder persisted, forcing the team to cancel the righty's second round against hitters and schedule him instead for additional medical evaluations.

Cardinals officials all encouraged patience, saying that Carpenter was going to take several days off and have an exam when the team returns to St. Louis later this week. Carpenter agreed there are similarities between events this weekend and weakening sensations that sidelined him in the spring. A big difference is his neck doesn't hurt this time, he said.

He called missing Monday's workout a 'setback."

"It has been a very positive progression to date and we don't want to push it to a point where it becomes a major setback," said general manager John Mozeliak. "We're looking at it now as give it a few days, re-evaluate him, and decide what the next step will look like. ...

"Any time you come off a planned program it's not perfect. But rather than jump to conclusions we'll give it a few days and re-evaluate it."

Carpenter and the Cardinals felt encouraged by his work Friday. The session Monday was supposed to increase his pitch count and set the stage for a rehab assignment. A successful throw Monday and Carpenter could have made a minor-league start within a week. The Cardinals have been conservative when mapping out Carpenter's return, but Mozeliak has recently said that knowing Carpenter's availability by July 1 would influence the players he pursues at the trade deadline. The Cardinals plan to look for a starting pitcher who would improve the rotation. The Boston Globe reported that they are interested in Cubs starter Matt Garza.

Adding Carpenter remains the preferred goal.

"We're trying to push a little forward," manager Mike Matheny said. "That's the whole thing. We really don't have anything to go on. There really isn't a history anywhere that tells us where he should be, what he should do, how much time he should take. That's why we've been so careful when we talk about timetable. It's not typical."

RAMSEY NEARS DEAL

First-round pick James Ramsey has an agreement in place with the Cardinals that could be finalized as early as Friday, an official confirmed. Ramsey, the 23rd overall pick, must pass a physical before signing the contract. Ramsey, 22, hit .378 with a .513 on-base percentage for the Florida State Seminoles, whose elimination last week from the College World Series permitted negotiations to start with the Cardinals. Baseball America selected Ramsey as a 2012 first-team All-American.

EXTRA BASES

Marlins president David Samson visited Matheny hours before Monday's game to present him with a token from the first game at Marlins Park, the first game and win Matheny's career as a manager. Samson gave him the third base used in that April 4 opening-night game. ... The Miami Heat's NBA championship parade snaked through downtown Miami on Monday morning, passing right by the Cardinals' team hotel. Several players left an hour early for the ballpark expecting traffic to complicate their short drive. Jon Jay, a native and Heat fan, did not attend the parade. "I've already seen a parade," said Jay. ... Minor-league outfielder Mike Swinson, who returned this week from the disabled list, was suspended 50 games on Monday by Major League Baseball for testing positive for a banned substance, methylhexanimine, a performance-enhancing drug.